I lived in California my entire life. My childhood, early teenage years, and transition into adulthood was filled with endless days at the beach, hikes in the mountains behind my house, the search for the perfect acai bowl, and people who were filled with an unwavering sense of optimism; because how can you not smile when you call a place like this home? I grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by a plethora of cultures, perspectives, and viewpoints on life, and spent my college years in sunny San Diego. California was all I’d ever known and though I’m grateful that I called a place like this home, I wanted to branch out, see more, and experience a different way of life.
So, this past year, I made the move all the way across the country to Baltimore, Maryland, where I started my first year of grad school: A complete 360 from everything I have ever known and a massive leap of faith. Moving to a new city was pretty intimidating, but I wanted to focus on the heart of my move: which was to embrace the beauty of a fresh start, a new beginning, a blank canvas on which I get to decide what I want the picture to look like. Despite the initial fear and hesitation, after living in Baltimore for 4 months, I found ways to make my transition to a new city smooth and as seamless as possible.
Something that helped me even before moving to Baltimore was to embrace the uncertainty. I found myself easily fixated on things like furniture delivery, setting up my water bill, and figuring out my routes to school, and all of the uncertainty of not knowing if the couch would arrive on time in one piece or if I’d be able to find the route to school without getting lost made me so anxious. But I took a step back and told myself to simply embrace this uncertainty. I didn’t have to figure everything out in one day, because often, many of these tasks are completed with time. There is no rush to get everything done at once and knowing this brought me a lot of peace in my initial days. Once I relaxed about these smaller things, I was able to say “yes” more.
Moving to a new city starts to feel like the beginning of a bold and dashing adventure when you start saying “yes” more: Saying yes to the party you were invited to, Saying yes to the study date, and saying yes to stepping out of your comfort zone. I found that this was the best way to meet new people, develop friendships, and feel semblances of normalcy in an otherwise unfamiliar place. It does feel easier to retreat to my comfort zone, but I quickly realized that nothing grows in my comfort zone — instead, I find myself feeling more secluded and stuck in familiar routines. Reaching out to people, taking the initiative to make plans, and putting myself out there made the transition to a new city so much easier.
In saying yes more, I opened myself up to finding new places and spaces that made Baltimore feel more like home. I was able to find new running routes, coffee shops, favorite restaurants, and go-to farmer’s markets. In figuring out a new routine and rhythm, I felt way more at peace and at ease with my new transition, because I started to feel I was at home rather than a temporary visitor. Exploring new places with new people is such a meaningful way to make memories, and I would recommend this to anyone who is moving to a new city.
My most salient takeaway from the last four months and the adventure it has brought me is that throughout our lifetime, we put down roots in many different places. We have the places we grew up in and spent time in and we have the places where we embarked on new beginnings. Nonetheless, we create a feeling of home wherever we go. It’s through the memories we make, the friendships we foster, and the personal growth and development we experience. Of course, all of these things take time. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the desire to make it work, to fully immerse yourself in your new beginning, is a great first place to start.
